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Potato Gnocchi and Casual Bolognese

Posted By Alexandra Laham On In | Comments Disabled

Potato Gnocchi

Adapted from PASTA EVERY DAY by Meryl Feinstein. Copyright © 2023 by Meryl Feinstein. Photographs by Nico Schinco. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

You can purchase PASTA EVERY DAY here [1]

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. To boil the potatoes: Submerge the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a lively simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes. Drain thoroughly and let them dry for a moment.
  2. To bake the potatoes: Heat the oven to 425 F/220 C. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place directly on the oven’s middle rack. Bake until tender and easily pierced with a knife, 60-70 minutes.
  3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, peel off the skins. Pass them through a ricer onto a paper towel-lined sheet pan or gently mash them with a potato masher or fork (if using a masher/fork, remove any large undercooked pieces, then spread out on paper towels). Allow to cool for about 30 minutes and pat dry with paper towels before using. You should have about 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of riced potatoes: if you have significantly more or less, scale the amount of flour in the recipe accordingly.
  4. Mix the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. With your fist, make a wide hole (or well) in the center, pushing the flour up and around the sides of the bowl. Add half of the potatoes to the center of the well and drizzle with half of the egg yolks. Bring some of the flour from around the bowl on top and press it into the potatoes a bit, so everything is roughly covered in a layer of flour. Add the remaining potatoes and egg yolks on top.
  5. Fold and press the rest of the flour from the sides and bottom of the bowl into the potato mixture from all directions until everything comes together into a rough, shaggy dough. It’s okay if the dough is crumbly—press the mixture firmly until it holds together.
  6. Transfer to a flat surface and knead gently until evenly incorporated, 1 ½ to 2 minutes (the longer you knead, the more bite the gnocchi will have). If the dough is very sticky (tacky is normal), work in a handful more flour. You’re not looking for a super smooth dough; it should be rough around the edges. Clear your work surface with a bench scraper and dust with fresh flour. You do not need to rest the dough before shaping.
  7. Set up your workspace: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and dust it with all-purpose flour. Keep a small bowl of flour nearby.
  8. Cut the dough: Dust your work surface and the dough with flour. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into wedges or thick slices about the width of two fingers— they don’t need to be even.
  9. Roll the dough into ropes: Sprinkle a piece of dough with flour and roll it back and forth to create a smooth exterior. Then gently roll the dough outward into a thick rope, about ¾ inch (2cm) in diameter. If the dough gets sticky, dust it with more flour.
  10. Make the gnocchi: Cut the rope into bite-sized pillows. Leave the gnocchi as they are, or roll them across the back of a fork or gnocchi board until they curl over. The motion is similar to cavatelli but with a much gentler touch.
  11. Arrange the pieces in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan— they can be close together but not touching. For maximum efficiency, roll all the dough into ropes first, then cut them into pieces in one go. The finished gnocchi can sit at room temperature or uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours if needed.
  12. Cook or store the pasta: Unlike other pastas, gnocchi are direct in their doneness and are nearly ready when they float (just give them another 30 seconds in the water). Gnocchi can be left at room temperature or, if it’s hot or humid, refrigerated uncovered for up to 2 hours. They can also be blanched, air-dried, and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Casual Bolognese

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, and another pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until very soft, 10 minutes more.
  2. Push the vegetables to the side of the pot and increase the heat to medium. Add the meat and season it generously, then use a wooden spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink and most of its liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste and mix with the meat and vegetables. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until mostly evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  4. Add the stock and tomato purée and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, at a low bubble for 2 to 2 ½ hours, until most of the liquid has reduced. Stir the sauce occasionally and add more stock if it looks dry.
  5. Stir in the milk (or alternative) and a generous grating of nutmeg, if using. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. To serve: Cook your pasta of choice to your liking. Transfer it directly to the sauce, along with ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta cooking water (if you need to drain the pasta first, reserve a little more cooking water than you might need). Toss to combine and continue to cook the pasta in the sauce until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes, loosening with more cooking water as needed. Divide the pasta among the bowls and serve topped with grated cheese, if you’d  like.